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Wolfgang, Six Pack favorites in Hambletonian eliminations

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Eighteen 3-year-old trotters entered
Saturday’s (Aug. 4) 93rd Hambletonian Stakes at the Meadowlands Racetrack,
requiring two eliminations to trim the field to 10 for the $1 million final
later that afternoon. Wolfgang is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the first
elimination and Six Pack is the 2-1 favorite in the second. Atlanta, the lone
filly taking on the boys, is the 3-1 second choice in the first elimination.

Atlanta seeks to become the first filly since
Continentalvictory in 1996 to defeat males in this year's edition of the
Hambletonian.

The
draws for the Hambletonian and companion Hambletonian Oaks, which is restricted
to 3-year-old female trotters, were held Tuesday (July 31) at the Meadowlands.
Wolfgang drew post No. 5 in his elimination and Six Pack drew post No. 9.
Atlanta will start from post No. 7. The top-five finishers from each $100,000
elimination return for the final.

Manchego,
who won one of last Saturday’s two eliminations for the Hambletonian Oaks, is
the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the $500,000 final. Phaetosive, the other
elimination winner, is the 3-1 second choice. As elimination winners, Manchego
and Phaetosive drew for spots in posts one through five, with Manchego getting
post four and Phaetosive getting post five.

The
stakes-filled Hambletonian Day card begins at 12 noon. The Hambletonian and
Hambletonian Oaks will be featured on a live 90-minute broadcast on CBS Sports
Network from 4-5:30 p.m. (EDT).

Atlanta
is attempting to become the first filly to win the Hambletonian since
Continentalvictory in 1996. In the previous 92 years, 161 fillies entered the
race, with 13 winning the sport’s most prestigious event for 3-year-old
trotters. Atlanta is the 22nd filly to enter the race since the start of the
Hambletonian Oaks in 1971.

The
two most recent fillies to enter the Hambletonian, Pampered Princess in 2007
and Mission Brief in 2015, both won eliminations. Pampered Princess was
seventh-placed-sixth in her final, won by Donato Hanover,
and Mission Brief finished second to Pinkman in her final.

Atlanta
is undefeated in five races this year. She trotted the fastest mile in the
history of Vernon Downs, 1:50.3, in winning the Empire Breeders Classic for
3-year-old filly trotters on May 28 and heads to the Hambletonian off a 1:53.4
victory at Vernon Downs in a July 19 division of the New York Sire Stakes. For
her career, Atlanta has won nine of 15 races and $301,645.

“I
have a horse that I think can win the Hambletonian, that’s exciting in itself,
just having a player,” said Scott Zeron, who will drive Atlanta for his father,
trainer Rick Zeron. “(The draw) was fine by me. My dad wanted to be in the
first heat, so we got lucky with that. We drew the seven; it’s not the rail,
but it’s not too bad. I don’t mind it. We’ll make it work. It will give me the
option to kind of look over and see what everyone is doing. We’ll play it by
ear.”

Lisa photo

Wolfgang will
attempt to keep his perfect 2018 record intact on Saturday afternoon at the
Meadowlands.

“For
me, this is a different scenario, having the family horse,” Zeron said. “I was
in Florida all winter long with all the horses, so this one feels a little
different having my father involved and being more involved with the barn.
(Atlanta) is a super horse and I really hope she can deliver. I have no regrets
about the decision.”

Zeron’s
win with Marion Marauder was for trainer Paula Wellwood, who will send out
Southwind Chrome in Saturday’s second Hambletonian elimination. Zeron is listed
to drive that horse as well.

“I
have two competitive horses,” Zeron said. “One is 3-1 and the other is 5-1.
That’s nice.”

Wolfgang
is undefeated in three races this year, with his victories including the
Goodtimes Stakes and a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial. He has won six
of 13 lifetime starts and $516,690 for Charles Goodwin’s Brixton Medical Inc.,
Goran Falk, Bud Hatfield’s Hatfield Stables, and Art Zubrod’s and Leah
Cheverie’s Fair Island Farm.

Four-time
Hambletonian winner Jimmy Takter trains Wolfgang, who is one of four horses
Takter is sending into the race. The others are You Know You Do, Tactical
Landing, and Zephyr Kronos. With a win, Takter would tie Billy Haughton,
Stanley Dancer, and Ben White for the most victories in Hambletonian history.
Yannick Gingras drives Wolfgang.

“He’s
very good,” Takter said. “I trained him a (1):56 mile here last Friday with a
good last half and he felt awesome. You try to peak them as best you can. He’s
been very good every start. He’s so professional. He’s most likely the most
reliable horse I have in the Hambletonian this year.”

Six
Pack is the fastest 3-year-old male trotter in history thanks to his 1:50 win
in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 14 at the Meadowlands. He
has won five of six races this year, with his lone setback a second-place
finish to Crystal Fashion in the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial. For his career, Six
Pack has won nine of 14 races and $557,840.

Åke Svanstedt trains and drives Six Pack.
Svanstedt won the 2017 Hambletonian with Perfect Spirit, who was elevated from
second to first when What The Hill was disqualified for interference in the stretch.

Lisa photo

Six Pack could provide his Svanstedt with back-to-back
Hambletonian winners.

“He
has raced better and better for every race this year,” Svanstedt said. “He is
going up the whole time. He’s an all-around horse. He’s nice to handle and nice
gaited and can leave fast. I think he can go faster (than 1:50). He was not
tired the last time. He was just lazy, so I must push him.”

Another
highly regarded contender is Crystal Fashion, who is 7-2 in the first
elimination. He has won five of eight races this year and finished second in
the remaining three. For his career, the son of Cantab Hall
out of Window Willow has won nine of 20 races and $523,252. He is trained by
Jim Campbell, who won the 1995 Hambletonian with Tagliabue, for owner Jules
Siegel’s Fashion Farms. Siegel was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of
Fame on July 1, the day after Crystal Fashion’s win in the Beal.

In
the Hambletonian Oaks, Takter and Gingras team up with favorite Manchego as
they attempt to win the race for the fifth consecutive year. Takter holds the
record for Oaks wins with seven. Manchego has won 16 of 18 career races and
$986,170 for owners Barry Guariglia’s Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and
Herb Liverman.

Phaetosive,
trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer, has won seven of 11 career races and
$377,358. Smedshammer trained 2008 Hambletonian Oaks winner Creamy Mimi and was
the trainer and driver of 2004 Hambletonian winner Windsong’s Legacy.
Phaetosive is owned by Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stables.

Following
are the fields for the Hambletonian eliminations and the Hambletonian Oaks
final.